Living Again
by SereneCalamity
Summary: Gabriella misses the musical because a tragic thing happens in her life. But Troy and the gang refuse to talk to her, and so Gabriella must suffer in silence. When Troy begins talking to Gabriella, it seems to be too late...Troyella.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the _HSM _characters._

_Right. The story:_

Gabriella Montez lay in her bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Yelling came from the room down the hall. There were thuds and then a cry of pain. Gabriella restrained herself from running down to comfort her mum. Something held her back, and she just laid there, tears running down her cheeks, scorching her cheeks.

Mrs Montez sat on the ground in her room, whimpering softly and clutching her hand. She had slammed it against the wall in pure anger and sadness, and it was now aching. Mrs Montez sobbed quietly, leaning against her bed.

Blocks away, Troy Bolton was sitting at his desk, his fingers tracing around a picture taken around three weeks ago of him and Gabriella. They were standing on a ladder, painting a set at school. They'd just had a paint fight, and Gabriella had a splodge of lime-green paint on her cheek and a swipe across her forehead. He had a splatter of blue paint on his forehead and edging into his sandy hair. Both were grinning happily into the camera. Troy sighed, and put the picture face--down on hid desk and walked out of his room.

* * *

The next day at school, Gabriella walked listlessly through the hallways to her classes. She was amidst the usual buzz of activity, but she didn't join in the chatter as she used to. Taylor McKessie, her once best--friend, was eyeing her from the other side of the hall. Gabriella glanced up once, but Taylor gave her a belittling look and strutted off with two other members of the decathlon team. 

Gabriella didn't feel up to the next class and skipped, spending the period in the toilets, just staring at the door, tears occasionally springing to her eyes, but then she blinked away the tears. After a while, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out one of her exercise books. The back of the book were signatures and messages from all her friends. Gabriella looked over at the messages, and let her eyes linger on the different names.

The bell rang for the next period to end and lunch to begin. Gabriella waited in the toilets until she was sure everyone would've filed out of the hallways and into the cafeteria or gym or field. Then she walked out of the cubicle, examined her face in the mirror, washed it with water, and then treaded carefully out of the toilet.

The hallways were silent, aside from the chatter from children coming in from the open windows. Gabriella walked slowly to her locker and quickly twirled in the combination. She stuffed the books she already had in and then pulled out the books she would need for the afternoon.

Just as she was closing the locker and zipping her bag shut, loud laughter exploded from just around the corner. Gabriella heard the unmistakable voice of Chad Danforth and then Troy. Gabriella froze, and then quickly zipped up her bag, but by then the basketball team and turned around the corner.

Gabriella felt her breath catch in her throat as her eyes caught Troy's.

_My chapters aren't very long--so get used to it!! LOL. _

_Please review!!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank-you to all the people who reviewed!! In this chapter you find out why Gabriella missed the musical and all that jazz._

The laughter stopped abruptly as the rest of the basketball team saw her and everything fell silent. Gabriella felt her cheeks flush hot and she quickly walked off in the opposite direction of them. She heard murmurings between the team as she turned to a flight of steps and glanced over her shoulder once.

Troy was looking after her, a neutral expression on his face, his lips pulled in a tight line and his eyes filled with anger, confusion and…sadness?

* * *

Gabriella went to History class, but skipped last period and walked home before school finished. She was lucky that she wasn't caught, because she couldn't come with an excuse to be walking away from school. Gabriella stopped at a small café just down the road from her house and brought a coke. The bar--tender gave her an odd look, but said nothing as she paid and walked back out of the street. 

Gabriella got home and slipped her key in the key--hole and let herself in, smelling the comforting smell of her house. First thing she did was go straight to the answering machine and deleted the two messages the school had left, saying that she had missed three out of the five classes that day. Second she went up to her room, sipping on her coke, and collapsed in her desk chair, staring listlessly at the white wall in front of her.

She thought about the events which had led up to the nightmare she was living at the moment.

It started when her parents had another argument. It wasn't unusual for Gabriella to lay in bed wishing they'd shut--up so she could go to sleep. But this time, it had been different. There had been slapping and thudding noises which made Gabriella cringe.

The next morning when Gabriella woke up, her dad's belongings and car weren't there. She missed the day off school, comforting her mum. She completely forgot about the opening for the musical and stayed at home, trying to stop her mum crying.

When she finally went back to school a week later, her friends had turned into enemies, including Troy, who she thought would give her a chance to explain. They all thought she was to blame for missing the musical she and all her friends had worked so hard to get them to win. They wouldn't listen when she tried to tell them and in the end, Gabriella just gave up.

The school also seemed to shun her, including Ms Darbus, the drama teacher. People didn't think of her as kind, shy, smart Gabriella. It was plain and simple Gabriella Montez. Gabriella Montez, who had let down the entire basketball and decathlon team, and it particular, Troy Bolton.

_Please review! I will try to update very soon!!_


	3. Chapter 3

_This it the next chappie, hope you all enjoy! Thanks to everyone who reviewed!!!!_

"Gabriella! I need you to run down to the dairy and pick up some milk!" Mrs Montez yelled upstairs. Gabriella trotted down and pulled her hoodies hood over her head, tucking her long hair into it. Mrs Montez handed her some money, and Gabriella jogged from the house and down the pathway.

As she waited in the queue to the line, she realized Troy and Chad were in front of her. Gabriella turned her back on them, hoping they wouldn't recognize her because of the hood.

They didn't.

"…She abandoned you, remember?" Chad was saying. Gabriella heard Troy sigh. "She left _you _to do the play with Sharpay." Gabriella realized they were talking about her, and about the musical.

"Yeah, I guess," Troy said in a tired voice. "But, we haven't exactly been nice to her or anything. She did try to talk to us, but we did kinda snub her off." Gabriella wondered why Troy was defending her when he had seemed so mad.

"But she didn't call in advance or anything!" Chad exclaimed. "I mean, that was the least she could do."

"S'pose so," Troy said, biting his lip. Then they moved up and the conversation stopped as they paid for their things and left, still not noticing Gabriella. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or hurt.

Gabriella paid for the milk and then walked back home. After handing the milk to her mum, she said;

"I…uh…need to go clear my head. I'm gonna go for a walk, 'kay? Be back in about an hour," Gabriella ran back outside without waiting for a reply. Gabriella wasn't unfit, but she was a biggi on exercise, so Mrs Montez looked surprise as Gabriella disappeared from view. She shrugged and went back to making dinner.

Gabriella jogged to the lake, the place she went when she needed to think. She then changed from a jog to a full--out sprint.

She sprinted to get rid of the feeling.

To leave the past horrible weeks behind.

To leave _everything _behind.

Unfortunately, the only thing she left behind were her imprints in the gravel trail and the faint smell of her perfume. She still had all her worries as she slowed down, as well as a throbbing foot and a bright red face.

Gabriella slowed down breathing hard, and collapsed on the warm grass. She closed her eyes and began breathing more normally. Suddenly a shadow fell over her, blocking her sun, and Gabriella sat up.

"Troy," she murmured.

_Bit of a cliffy, huh?_

_Please review!!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks for all reviewers!!! Hope you enjoy the chappie. _

"Uh…um, hi," Troy spluttered. Gabriella didn't drop her eyes, and let them remain coolly on his face. Troy looked uncomfortable, and was looking everywhere put at her. "Why weren't you at the musical?!" He burst out suddenly. Gabriella slowly stood up.

"My dad, he…" Gabriella broke off, then tried again. "My parents had this, uh, fight…" Troy frowned deeper and cut her off.

"You're blaming this on your parents?" He asked in a dangerously low voice. Gabriella frowned in confusion and tried to talk, but he cut her off again. "You're saying that they weren't gonna let you do the musical?" Troy began to rant and finally even quiet Gabriella couldn't take it.

"Shut up, Troy!" She screamed at him. Troy looked taken back by Gabriella's sudden outburst. "You don't understand!" Troy quickly recovered.

"Then tell me what happened!"

"Sorry, Troy, but I can't!" Gabriella snapped in a cold voice. "If I tell anyone, it will be someone who cares about me, someone who I trust…" Troy was about to say something, but she turned away and her last words made Troy freeze. "And that someone is obviously not you."

* * *

Gabriella turned her lamp on and sat at her desk, holding her diary and pen in her hand. She had confided her diary a heap in the past few weeks, and now she was writing in it again. 

_Dear Diary,_

_I went for a run around the lake. Who did I meet? Troy. He asked me why I missed the musical and I began to tell him. But then he got all angry and stuff--I have no idea why. He said I was blaming it on my parents, or something like that._

_Anyway, the jerk wouldn't listen to me when I tried to tell him and now he's angrier at me than ever. He thinks that since he's the basketball captain, and the star of the school, that he has a right to anything and everything! Just because every other girl in the school is in love with him…They obviously don't know the real Troy. _

_The stuck-up…know-it-all…big-headed…JERK!!_

Gabriella knew deep down that what she was writing wasn't true. But she was angry, and she let her feelings spill out.

_Okay, what do you think? Might be a bit confusing during the fight bit, but, believe me, when people are angry, they jump to all kind of conclusions. _


	5. Chapter 5

_I like Kelsi/ Jason, so I have to include them. Here's da next chappie:_

Gabriella didn't want to go to school the next day, but she felt that she owed it to her mother. She took the school-bus, and sat by herself in a seat looking out the window. She was the first stop, and Troy got on the third. He tried to catch her eye when he got on, but she ignored him, and pointedly put her bag on the seat next to her. After the fourth stop, Gabriella moved her bag.

"Is anyone sitting here?" Came a soft voice. Gabriella looked up in surprise and saw Kelsi Neilson, one of her best--friends, looking down at her. Gabriella was about to snap, but Kelsi looked both tentative and concerned that Gabriella didn't want to be mean.

"Sure," she murmured and moved her bag. They didn't talk on the ride to school, and when they got their school, they moved off the bus in silence. Kelsi touched Gabriella's arm as they began to part in the crowds.

"Can you come to the music room…after school?" Kelsi asked in a careful voice. Gabriella began to shake her head, but Kelsi continued. "Please, Gabi…" Kelsi drifted off, her eyes filled with pain. Gabriella looked at the ground and gave a small nod before walking off. Kelsi grinned to herself and then walked up the stairs to join Jason Cross.

Gabriella sat through registration in her spot at the back of the class. She only answered when she was called from the register, and received an icy look for Ms Darbus--her homeroom teacher--and from Taylor.

She suffered through first period, but almost fell asleep while walking to her second class. Gabriella had spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, and she was amazingly tired. So, she skipped the next period, and sat under a tree at the far end of the field.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

"Yes?" Gabriella answered.

"Gabi," a familiar voice breathed through. Gabriella felt her chest tighten.

"Dad," she replied in a choked voice.

_I'll work hard to make the next chapter longer._

_Please review!!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Okay, here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long, I've been really busy with school adn all that. But, here it is!! _

There conversation was quite short and very one-sided. Gabriella felt as though she couldn't talk. It was more that she _wouldn't _talk to the man who had completely destroyed her life, both socially and emotionally, and her mother.

Mr Montez stuttered through his information. First, he repeated over and over again that he loved her. Then he told her he was in London…with a woman named Leslie Grey. Gabriella recognized the name. It was a woman who her dad had been working with for a few years.

Gabriella heard this, and then slammed her finger down on the cancel button. She got up angrily and began smashing her bag against the tree in pure rage. After a while, the rage dissolved to sadness, and hot tears ran down her cheeks. She tasted salt on her lips as she roughly brushed away the tears.

Gabriella pulled her bag on her back, slipped her cell-phone into her pocket, and then left the school, using a rugged back entrance where someone had just pulled away at the fence and made a hole.

She went down to the lake, and sat on a bench half-way around, hoping no-one would see her and ring the school up to report her.

Gabriella's eyes were slitted against the sharp sun which sent its rays through spaces in the trees. The lake swished, making soothing noises and eventually Gabriella began to feel calmer.

_You all know the drill. Click da button and REVIEW!!!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Okay, next chappie:_

Kelsi wasn't surprised when Gabriella didn't show up after school. She hadn't seen her after their parting at the bus, and Kelsi assumed that Gabriella had left school for the day. Trying not to show her disappointment show, Kelsi got on the bus as usual.

Troy didn't feel like going on the bus. Her walked the long way home--around the lake--and thought about his meeting with Gabriella. He now felt even guiltier, because obviously something had happened, and he hadn't been there for her.

Damien Channing--the school bully--was running toward him. Obviously he was mad--his face was an absolute thundercloud. He shoved past Troy, who didn't move out of his way. Damien wanted to vent his anger, and the distraught looking Troy seemed to be a perfect target.

A moment later, the boys were rolling in the dirt, fists flying and feet kicking.

Gabriella heard the commotion and ran over. She saw Troy underneath Damien, Damien's fist pounding down on Troy's stomach. Troy's nose was bleeding and he was going to have a good shiner around his eyes. His face was twisted in pain.

"Ah!" Gabriella screamed. She thought quickly, and pulled off her bag and yanked it open. She pulled out her perfume _Impulse _and lunged forward. She aimed it at Damien's eyes and sprayed.

"Egh!" Damien leapt off Troy and rubbed furiously at his eyes, which were going red and blood-shot. He glowered at Gabriella, and then walked away. Gabriella frowned after him and then looked down at Troy on the ground. Troy had his head back in the dust; his eye closed, and was breathing deeply.

She dropped to her knees, not knowing what to do.

"Are you okay?" Gabriella asked in a soft voice. Troy nodded, and then started getting up. "Careful," she helped him up and then took a hesitant step back. Troy glanced carefully at her and then touched around his eye, wincing.

"Have you got something I can clean this up with?" He asked. Gabriella shook her head. Troy wanted to talk to her, and he had an idea. "Can…can I come back to your house and get cleaned up?" Gabriella frowned.

"Why can't you go home…or to Chad's?"

"I'll have to explain how I got like this…and that'd be uncomfortable," Troy gave Gabriella a pleading glance. She relented with a mumble of annoyance under her breath.

"Okay, my mum won't be at home."

_I'm thinking you guys can guess what's coming next._

_Please review._


	8. Chapter 8

_People! I've written a trailer for a story which I will be submitting next year. Here's what it's about...Gabriella gets in an argument with Troy and her mum, and she_ _leaves __Albuquerque_. _She ends up becoming a famous singer, and Troy and the gang run into her in Beverly Hills. When tragedy strikes, will Gabriella stick with her new life and friends, or swallow her pride and come back home...It's seriously better than it sounds, just check it out...please?_

_Anyways, here's the chapter..._

Gabriella didn't suggest they go up to her room, as she once would've, she kept him in the kitchen. Troy looked around as Gabriella went to get antiseptic and the first-aid kit. She came back, her face still set hard as she went to work, cleaning his cuts.

Troy tried to make conversation, but Gabriella barely responded, and when she did, they were short, cold answers. He looked at her eyes, and she seemed a million miles away. Troy bit his lip and sighed inwardly.

"Gabi," Troy began, using her nickname. "I'm really sorry. I was wrong to judge you quickly, and not listen." Gabriella didn't answer, so he continued. "You know you can tell me if anything is wrong." This time she answered. Gabriella stood up and looked him square in the eye.

"I thought that too," Gabriella said straight out. Troy felt torn.

"Please, Gabi…" Troy got off the seat and touched Gabriella's arm. She pulled away.

"Don't call me that!" She snapped. "My friends call me that. But because of_ one _musical, I have none anymore! I'm sorry I missed the musical, I really am. I love singing, and I can assure you, I have felt guilty every note I have sung since that missed musical. But I'll tell you this: I didn't attend the musical because..." Gabriella's voice faltered but she carried on. "My dad beat up my mum. And then he left."

"I'm sorry…" Troy began. Gabriella ignored him.

"He's now in London now…with his girlfriend," Gabriella's shoulders drooped. Troy blinked several times. Gabriella had run out of steam, and turned away from him, leaning on bench, her head drooped and tears running down her face.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen," Troy said in a quiet voice. He reached forward and touched her shoulder, but she pulled away as though she had been burned. Troy felt his heart go heavy. He turned and walked away, leaving Gabriella.

_Please review!!!_


	9. Chapter 9

_Thanks to the people who reviewed on _Start of Something New _I will be posting the first chappie next year, a month's time. Anyway, the people who haven't read my trailer, I'd appreciated it if you did...THANKS!!!_

Gabriella felt anxious about going to school the next day. Troy would come up to her at some point, and it was a situation she wasn't willing to confront at the moment. A small part of her felt good that it had finally got out to someone. But the rest of her was worried about what Troy would do.

Would he tell the others?

If he did, how would they react?

On the bus, she made a point of not looking at Troy, and smiling at Kelsi. Kelsi looked uncertain, but walked over and sat beside Kelsi. Gabriella took a deep breath and got straight to the point.

"Sorry that I didn't come to the music room after school yesterday," Gabriella said. "I was…busy." Kelsi nodded and gave Gabriella a small smile.

At school, Kelsi walked off with Taylor and Chad. Troy walked over to Gabriella, and Gabriella glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. They walked in silence up the steps and into the school. There were more than one or two people who gave them strange looks. They all wondered why Troy had forgiven Gabriella. They reached Gabriella's locker, and Gabriella stopped to open it. Troy stopped as well, and leaned against the locker beside hers.

"Look, I told Taylor, okay? I haven't told anyone else because I didn't think you'd want me to," Troy said it matter-a-factly, like he was just trying to get it out and get away. "I'll see you later." Troy walked away down the hallway. Gabriella inhaled shakily and leaned on her locker door. The first bell went, and students began filing into their classes. Gabriella sighed and walked into her first class.

Sharpay Evans let her icy gaze go from Gabriella to Troy and then back to Gabriella. She sat at her seat at the front of class and smiled disarmingly at Ms Darbus. Ms Darbus called the roll and then she allowed the class to talk quietly. No one spoke to Gabriella--even Troy--and so she sat at the back quietly, reading the posters on the walls. Then the bell went and everyone poured out of the class-rooms.

Gabriella walked to her next class alone. Taylor was walking behind her, but wasn't sure what to say, so she stayed silent. Gabriella stopped at her locker and a piece of paper fluttered to the ground. Frowning, Gabriella picked it up. Taylor stood a little way off, wondering how Gabriella would react to the note.

_Gabs, I'm so sorry. I shoulda listened to you. You're my bestfriend, even if I didn't act like it. Please forgive me, or else I'll never forgive me. This is awkward to write, but I guess this is the only way I can get your attention, since Troy says you're pretty mad--and you have every right to be. I'm there for you--we all are…_

_Tay._

Gabriella tapped her fingers against the note and glanced around, her eyes falling on Taylor. The two girls walked toward each other and hugged. Taylor whispered in Gabriella's ear,

"I'm _soooo _sorry!"

"S'alright," Gabriella replied.

Neither saw a vicious glare directed at them by Sharpay.

_Ooh, Sharpie's mad. Note, this is not a Zekepay fic, there needs to be an evil schoolmate, and Sharpay's easiest._

_Please review!_

_TOODLES!!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Here's the next chapter. Just remember, Gabi and Troy haven't kissed yet:_

Gabriella sat with the rest of the gang at lunch. Troy had told them all what had happened, and no one mentioned anything. Gabriella was glad. She wasn't ready to talk about it with anyone at the moment, and her friends seemed to understand that. It felt good to be back with Jason and Zeke Baylor who were always trying to outdo each other with horrible concoctions of food and then eat them.

"We're gonna go and do some basketball practise," Chad said as he finished and stood up. Troy frowned at them as they walked off without him. It seemed to be Taylor and Kelsi's signal, because they stood up and mumbled something about the library before walking off. Troy and Gabriella were left together in uncomfortable silence.

"You, uh, want to go…up?" Troy asked, indicating a spot on the roof where he always went to think. Gabriella nodded, and they both stood up and began running up the stairs. Sharpay glared after them before going back to her drama club group. Ryan Evans noticed the angry look on his twin sister's face and realized something was up, but said nothing. As they reached the roof and sat down on the seat, Troy began blabbering. "I am sooo sorry, Gabriella…I didn't mean to ignore you…I was wrong I never should have--"

"Sh," Gabriella put her hand over his mouth and gave him a smile. "I get it. I'm good. I'd rather not talk about it though--at least, not at the moment." Gabriella lowered her hand from his mouth slowly and looked away. Troy stared at her, thinking how much he wanted to kiss her, but never had.

"Gabi, I…There's something I want to give you," Troy began. Gabriella looked at him expectantly. He reached over and awkwardly held one of her hands. "If you don't like it, you can just forget it," Troy continued. Gabriella looked confused, but nodded. Troy moved closer and then quickly ducked down and put his lips on hers. Gabriella was stunned at first, but slipped her arms around him his waist. Her lips moved over his and Gabriella felt his hands entwine themselves in her long hair. After a few moments, they slowly pulled apart.

"I ain't forgetting that," Gabriella whispered. "About time." Troy glanced at her in surprise, and then his face relaxed into a smile. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Troy took a deep breath and asked,

"What exactly happened?" Gabriella glanced at him, and then down at her feet.

"Okay…."

_I'm an expert at cliffie's, aren't I? He he._


	11. Chapter 11

_I have to announce a hiatus. Very sorry to everyone reading, but I've got big-time writers block. I promise to post one within the next two months though._

_Thanks,_  
_CB101._


	12. Chapter 12

_Schools back tomorrow, so I'm getting back into rountine. Here's the next chapter:_

--Flashback--

_Gabriella lay in bed, her head under her pillow trying to ignore the shouts of her mum and dad. Unfortunately, the lounge was directly beneath her, and she could hear them still. Then the hitting started. The sounds of her mum's yells and her father's abusive shouting made Gabriella cringe and curl into a ball._

_Finally, she cried herself to sleep. _

_The next morning, Gabriella walked down to breakfast and quietly moved around the kitchen. Her mum had come down just after eight, just before Gabriella was going to leave. _

"_Honey," Mrs Montez began, taking her daughter's hands in her own. "Look outside the window." _

"_Dad's car's gone," Gabriella said, not even looking. "I already know." Mrs Montez took a deep breath and then told her,_

"_He's gone for good," Mrs Montez whispered. Gabriella's eyes widened as she realized what her mother was saying. "He's gone to live in London, I think. He's….He left us." Mrs Montez began to cry. All thoughts of school and the musical flew out the window as she dropped her bag to the ground and comforted her mother…._

--End of Flashback--

"So…yeah," Gabriella twisted her hands in her lap and sighed. Troy impulsively put his arms around the smaller girl and hugged her. Gabriella practically melted in his arms.

The bell suddenly shrilled and knocked them both back into reality. They had a class together, and so they both walked together down the stairs, fingers entwined. Sharpay chose that moment to come over.

"Hey, Gabriella," she began, smiling sweetly. "I was wondering if I could come over to your house for a bit this afternoon." Gabriella raised an eyebrow quizzically. "I'm having some trouble with my Math homework and the teacher recommended you."

"Uh, okay," Gabriella nodded uncertainly. Something was up, because Sharpay didn't ask for anyone's help--especially Gabriella's.

"Cool," Sharpay spun around with a triumphant smile and strutted off, calling,

"Toodles!" Over her shoulder.

_What's Sharpie up to? He he he..._


	13. Chapter 13

_Here comes the evil Sharpay chapter. He he he...It's not as evil as she is in other stories, 'cause I wanna keep it real..._

"Do you want to go in the lounge or up to my room?" Gabriella asked.

"Your room," Sharpay answered immediately. Gabriella shrugged and led the way upstairs to her room. It was a good thing Mrs Montez wasn't there, or else Gabriella would have to explain why she was tutoring her worst enemy. Up in the bedroom, Sharpay sat regally on Gabriella's bed. "Can you get me a drink?"

"Uh, sure," Gabriella replied. "Water?"

"Water, tinted with lemon, three ice cubes," Sharpay answered immediately. Gabriella blinked unbelievingly but went back downstairs. Sharpay checked she was gone, and then began looking around the room. Trying the desk drawers first proved unsuccessful, and then she tried the book-shelf, behind the books.

Sharpay tried to hide the triumphant grin as she came out with a light blue book, held by a lock. Sharpay pulled out her hair-clip and began to pick the small lock. It clicked open, and Sharpay grinned fully. Flicking through the pages, Sharpay found the page she wanted. Tearing it out, she carefully folded it and slipped it in her pocket, replacing the lock and then the diary behind the books.

"Hey, Sharpay," Gabriella said, coming back into the room. Sharpay spun around and flashed a smile.

"Uh, Gabriella, I just had a look over the homework, and it's all beginning to make sense. Toodles!" Sharpay picked up her bag and ran downstairs. Gabriella blinked, shrugged, and began drinking the tinted lemon-water.

_Whoah, that chapter was short...shorter than some of my other chapters. I only just realized that...Please review._


	14. Chapter 14

_You guys know what the note said, it was written back in a few chapters before. Here is the evil Sharpay..._

Sharpay and Ryan arrived early at school the next day. Ryan had no idea why he had been dragged out of bed at seven o'clock, but faithfully followed his sister through the hallways, her destination Troy's locker. Ryan had no idea why Sharpay was obsessed with a small paper; she claimed would turn Troy against Gabriella.

"This is Troy's locker, right?" Sharpay asked. Not waiting for an answer from Ryan, she glanced over her shoulder, pulled another slip of paper from her pocket and began to twirl the dial.

"How'd you get his locker code?" Ryan asked, frowning slightly. Sharpay gave him an exaggerated wink as the locker popped open. His locker was messy, books every where and his gym uniform lying on the shelf of the locker. Sharpay ignored all this and put the note on top of the uniform.

"Now we just have to wait," Sharpay grinned, satisfied, as she pushed the locker door back, closing it with a bang.

"Wait for what?" Ryan asked, clueless.

"When I went over to Gabriella's house, I found her diary. She must've been _really _mad when she wrote one of the entries, and it was insulting Troy big-time. There was something about him being a big-headed jerk, and another part about him thinking since he was basketball captain; he thought he had the right to know everything," Sharpay smiled, tossing her long blonde hair. She turned around and begun to strut off toward her locker.

"Do you think its right to do that?" Ryan questioned, an uncomfortable look on his face. Sharpay froze, slowly turned around and faced Ryan, her mouth open. "I mean--" Ryan rushed on. "What did Gabriella and Troy ever do to you?"

"I can't believe you're that dumb! They beat us out of the Winter Musical, they _humiliated _us!" Sharpay cried. Ryan gave an awkward shrug. "And since when do _you _question my ideas?!" Ryan gave another shrug. He was saved by Troy and his basketball gang coming around the corner. Sharpay grabbed Ryans arm and pulled him around another corner, out of sight.

"See you guys later!" Troy yelled as he spun his locker combination. At first he didn't notice the slip of paper, but then he did and pulled it down curiously. He immediately recognized Gabriella's writing and grinned. But then he started reading. When he looked up, his face was a thundercloud. He stuffed the paper back in his pocket and stormed off.

Ryan turned to his sister, a puzzled look on his face. Sharpay glanced up at him once, and then went back to filing her nails.

_Hmmmm...Review!!_


	15. Chapter 15

_People! There is only two chapters left (including this one)!!! Thanks to all my reviewers!!_

Troy avoided his friends and Gabriella for the rest of the day. They were all surprised and also quite a bit suspicious because Sharpay was looking smug. Ryan was following her, darting nervous glanced in Gabriella's direction. Gabriella figured he must know something, and so at the end of school when he was by himself, she confronted him.

"Ryan, what's up with Troy? You know, and you're gonna tell me," Gabriella ordered, blocking his exit of the drama-room. Ryan shrugged and blushed slightly.

"You're wrong, I don't know anything," Ryan stammered.

"Whatever, Ryan," Gabriella snapped back. Ryan looked surprised, since it wasn't often that Gabriella lost her cool. "Either you or Sharpay have done something, but you know what it is, and I am demanding to know what it is, it's my right to know."

"Well…Sharpay, kinda…ah, put a bit of pink paper…into Troy's locker," Ryan began. Gabriella widened her eyes as if to say 'so…'. "She said it said something like he was jerk, and it was definitely your writing." Gabriella suddenly realized what Ryan was talking.

"Ohmigod!" Gabriella cried. "She got to my diary!" Ryan hesitated then said.

"I can imagine her doing that, yes," Ryan said slowly.

"Er!" Gabriella half-turned and began whacking her head against the door-frame. Ryan flinched every time she did and then in the end, quickly stepped forward and pulled her away. "Oh man, what am I gonna do?!" It was a rhetorical question, Ryan knew that, but he answered it anyway.

"Tell Troy the truth," Ryan murmured. Gabriella looked at Ryan and frowned.

"But everything in the diary was true. At the time, Troy _was _being a huge, arrogant jerk," Gabriella replied. Ryan shrugged awkwardly.

"But you don't think that now, right?" Ryan asked, just to make sure. Gabriella nodded affirmative. "So tell him that." Gabriella sighed and pushed her hair away from his face. "If he cares, he'll listen."

_Please review!!!_


	16. Chapter 16

_This is the last chapter! I can't believe I've finally finished this story!! Well, I can, but...you know what I mean! Anyway, thank you to all my reviwers and I hope you read my other stories!! _

_Well, here it goes:_

Gabriella got home around four-thirty that afternoon. The first thing she did was get her diary out of its hiding spot. She flicked to the page where she suspected Sharpay had gotten to. She had been right. The page had been torn in half. Gabriella tapped on the page with her index finger, fighting down the infuriated feeling in her stomach. She knew she had to make things right to Troy today, or else she'd get even angrier.

Grabbing a hoodie off a chair, Gabriella flew downstairs, the diary safely under her arm. Mrs Montez looked up as she passed.

"Going to Troy's, ma," Gabriella called over her shoulder. Mrs Montez nodded and continued making dinner. Gabriella ran all the way to Troy's house and up the walk-way. No one answered the door when she knocked, so she assumed no-one was home. She backed off the porch, dejected, but then heard the bouncing of a basketball. Gabriella walked around the back of the house to where Troy had a concreted area for basketball practise.

Troy aimed the basketball at the hoop and fired. He missed. He aimed with another ball. He missed again. Troy tried once more, but that rebounded off the back-board. Troy grabbed the ball and threw it against the fence in frustration. He let out an angry growl and collapsed on the ground. A shadow fell over him and he opened his eyes.

"What are _you _doing here?" He asked accusingly. Gabriella sighed a looked down. "Surprised you can even talk to me, seeing as I'm an stuck-up jerk."

"That's just how I was feeling when you were ignoring me!" Gabriella protested. "Sharpay came over to my house and looked in my diary!" She opened the diary and found the page, thrusting it in front of Troy. He looked down and saw the ripped page. "That's _not _how I feel now, Troy." Troy looked her up and down.

"How do you know you're telling the truth?" He asked grudgingly.

"Troy! You know better than that!" Gabriella cried. She couldn't what an idiot he was being. "You know what a pest Sharpay can be! You know this is the sort of thing she'd do." Troy didn't move from the ground. Gabriella waited a few moments but he remained silent. "Fine," she muttered through clenched teeth. "Good-bye." She turned on her heel and stomped away.

Troy turned to a later date, and suddenly a date caught his eye. All the words were written in italics and there were hearts in pink gel pen around it, including pink stickers. Troy slowly red it.

_TROY KISSED ME!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!! I'M IN HEAVEN!!!_

Troy took a deep breath, stood up, dropped the diary, and sprinted off in the direction Gabriella had left.

Gabriella made it to the lake and behind a clump of trees before bursting into tears. After a while, the tears subsided and she leaned against a tree-trunk and took in a shaky breath. She looked over the lake with red eyes and sighed shakily.

"Gabi," came a soft voice. Gabriella spun around and saw Troy. "I'm so sorry." He leaned down, helped her up and wrapped his arms around her. Gabriella cried into his shoulder. Eventually they broke apart and he cupped her face in his hands. "I should've asked you before jumping to conclusions, I'm sorry," Troy wiped two stray tears away with his thumbs.

"Yeah," Gabriella's eyes left his.

"Hey, look at me," Troy ordered gently. Gabriella looked up at him finally. "I'm gonna help you through this, okay?" Gabriella nodded weakly. "Everything's gonna be fine." Gabriella nodded again. Troy paused and then hesitantly leaned forward to kiss her. Gabriella wrapped her arms around his neck and his went around her waist. As they broke apart, Gabriella whispered,

"I love you." Troy smiled slightly.

"I love you too."

_Okay, so the ending was pretty corny, I know that. But oh well..._

_Please give me one last review!!_


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